Wrong-Way Car Accidents Endanger Indianapolis Motorists

March 21, 2019August 22, 2016

Wrong-way car accidents are some of the most dangerous collisions which occur. The Indy Channel reported recently on a wrong way accident which caused injuries to four motorists. The crash happened on I-70 near Sherman Drive in the eastbound lanes. Law enforcement officers indicated there was a white sedan which was traveling in the wrong direction on the interstate. The white sedan struck a truck head on, which caused the truck to explode into flames. Three of the people who were riding in the truck which caught on fire had to be transported to the hospital for emergency treatment. All of the victims are expected to survive the serious accident.

Law enforcement officers indicate the collision is still under investigation. Several lanes of I-70 where the accident occurred were closed. The cause of the crash must be determined, as police do not yet know why the white sedan was going in the wrong direction. It is likely the driver of the white sedan will be found at fault for the crash. If the driver is proved to be to blame for the accident, he can be held accountable for the losses which the other drivers experience.

Wrong-way accidents frequently occur when drivers are going in the incorrect direction on an interstate, just like in this recent Indianapolis crash. Drivers could get onto the interstate going the wrong way because of confusing signage or because they are intoxicated and fail to follow the rules. In addition to drunk people, senior drivers also present one of the biggest risks of getting onto the interstate going in the wrong direction. Seniors who drive once they have physical or mental issues that affect their abilities could become disoriented or confused and go the wrong way onto an off ramp.

If a motorist gets onto the interstate going in the wrong way, a high-speed head-on crash is the likely outcome. Drivers on highways are typically going too fast to stop before striking a vehicle which is going in the wrong direction. Drivers on interstates also cannot stop in many situations because of the cars behind them, and they cannot swerve because they have no where to go since there are cars packed in around them. This means the motorists on the interstate are likely to hit the wrong-way vehicle head-on.

Wrong-way accidents also occur frequently on rural roads and double lane roads where drivers cross a yellow line to pass. If drivers do this when it is not safe and they do not have room to safely get around other vehicles, they could collide with an oncoming car.

Finally, head-on crashes are likely to happen in situations where a driver is intoxicated, drowsy, or distracted and veers out of his lane across a double yellow line.

When wrong-way head-on crashes happen, the injuries are often very severe because the direct collision multiples the force of the accident, endangering the motorists in both vehicles. The driver who was at fault should compensate the victims who were harmed by his traveling in the wrong direction.